


Sturdy

by RottenMint



Series: Paternal Instincts [15]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Concussions, Familial Love, Gen, Light Angst, Medical Examination, injured keith, when the family and the boyfriend try not to freak out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 13:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19395316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RottenMint/pseuds/RottenMint
Summary: Their first order of business is to take care of Keith's physical wounds.





	Sturdy

**Author's Note:**

> I love to hurt my favourite characters but I guess they deserve to get healed at some point. 
> 
> As usual please enjoy, and constructive criticism is always welcome.

As Shiro helps him sit down on the exam table, Keith can't help his sigh of relief. It's audible enough that Antok, who followed them, pauses. He almost steps into the infirmary when Ulaz breezes past, pad in hand, and shoos him away. 

The door slides shut and Ulaz turns to Keith, a strained smile on his face. "We don't need any extra hands in the room today, I don't think." He stands next to the table and types a few things out, looking up at Keith every few tics. 

After a while he asks, "how are you feeling? Be honest." He quirks an eyebrow at Keith that’s scolding enough. Keith knows he can't hide anything from Ulaz, and Shiro has gotten much better at detecting his lies about his health. 

"I'm nauseous, a little dizzy. The lights are-" he swallows down some bile and shuts his eyes, "- too bright." Without a word Shiro moves across the room and turns the lights down as low as they can get. Ulaz even turns down the brightness of his pad until it's just a faint glow. 

"Anything else?" Voice softened, Ulaz scans Keith's body for other injuries besides his obvious, sluggishly bleeding head wound. 

"A cut on my neck, but it's not bad. Bruises, and I kind of messed up my hand." 

Ulaz checks it all clicking his tongue. 

"The cut is minor. It will heal on its own, though we will clean it in case. The bruising will be fine, and your hand should be alright. No broken bones. As for your head, you likely have a concussion." Ulaz lists as he cleans Keith’s bloody knuckles. 

"A concussion?" Shiro echoes. The expression on his face matches Keith's, one of surprise and confusion. 

"Yes. Keith, let's get those bandages off. I'd like to further examine your head before we put you in a pod." In a few long strides, Ulaz is pawing through the closets of medical supplies. Keith and Shiro share a look. Keith shrugs and does as he's told. 

"I'm surprised he hit me hard enough to knock me out, actually," Keith says, fingers skimming the bandage that's wrapped around his head. "I've had plenty of hard hits to the head before and nothing- this is my first concussion." His fingers scrabble at where the bandages are tied, but undoing them proves to be a difficult task. Ulaz is quick to step in, unwinding them with practiced, clinical efficiency. 

Shiro huffs out a breath, "and believe me, he's done plenty of things that should've concussed him." 

"Things" refers to all the stunts Keith never hesitated to pull when he was younger and uncaring for his physical wellbeing. Some came before Shiro, and some came after- but less so, now. The paladin helmet helps. 

"Galra have very thick skulls, especially if they have ridges like Kolivan." Ulaz says, leaning in to inspect the head wound. "Perhaps you inherited the Galra gene for it." He moves Keith's hair aside and swipes his tongue over the cut, then pulls out a bottle of antiseptic. 

"Guess you really are Galra on the inside." Shiro laughs. Keith glares at him, and even levels a look at Ulaz when he starts to chuckle. 

"Ha ha, very funny." Keith knows he's pouting. He blames the concussion. 

"Galra bones are also much sturdier than human, from what I've seen," Ulaz's gaze flicks to Shiro's prosthetic, "so I wouldn't doubt that you have that in you. Of course, we can test and find out, if you are curious." His ears are perked forwards and his eyes are a bit brighter than normal as he suggests this. Keith smiles. Ulaz is more curious than he lets on about Keith, as the first and only human-Galra hybrid. More than a few times Keith has been in Ulaz and Thace's room and found Ulaz's data pad open on notes, notes about his biology. 

Keith thinks it's weird to read about himself in what will eventually amount to a medical journal. However, Ulaz's unedited notes show that they are done with endearment as much as they are for curiosity and documentation. 

The sting of antiseptic startles Keith from his thoughts. He hisses and jerks away, but Ulaz's gentle hand on the side of his head stops him. 

"I'm sorry, Keith. If this were to become infected, however, it would be much worse- especially if we can't heal this with a pod." 

"Why wouldn't I be able to use a pod?" Nervousness sets into Keith's limbs. A concussion will put him out of commission as the red paladin, as anything useful in the war, until it's healed. 

"If there is the possibility of brain damage, it is best that the pod is not used. It will try to fix the damage, but ultimately it will fail, and could make the damage worse. In an extreme case, it could kill you." Fingers twitch against Keith's cheek. Ulaz leans in close, breath ghosting over the shell of Keith's ear. 

"We've just gotten you back, little one," the words waver, "we would not risk anything that could put you in more danger." He finishes cleaning the cut and pulls away, one hand petting over Keith's head. Keith allows himself to relax at the touch. Briefly, he is reminded of Lotor and shudders. 

_You're safe now_ , he tells himself, _you're safe with your pack and Lotor is gone_. 

"Let's test some motor skills and see what we're dealing with." Ulaz's professional voice is back as he disposes of the items used to clean Keith's wound. "Shiro, come over here and help Keith up- we'll move to the other side of the infirmary, there's more room." 

He's so, so gentle. Shiro's touch is light, like he's afraid he'll hurt Keith if he uses any real pressure. When Shiro pulls him to his feet, Keith cups Shiro's cheek in his unhurt hand. 

"I won't break. You won't hurt me. I'm okay." That seems to take the frantic edge from Shiro's dark eyes and he smiles. 

"Glad to have you back, Keith." As they make their way across the room, Keith notices Kolivan, Antok, and Thace lingering in the doorway. Watching. Listening. All with concerned looks on their faces. Keith smiles to himself. It's good to be back, and it's good to be loved.

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic was mostly written because I recently re-watched the battle at the Kral Zera scene, and noticed that when Keith saves Lotor from the explosion, Lotor slams his head off one of the steps. Miraculously, he doesn't seem injured or concussed, so I had to wonder- how tough are Galra actually?


End file.
